Don't Think Of Me
by Ryuko-chan
Summary: Lina can't help but be drawn to where Zel is getting married to Amelia. Just for one last chance to tell Zel how she feels. Will she be able to arrive in time? Songfic to Dido's "Don't think of me" (Lina/Zel)


Lina rolled over and sighed. She felt a presence behind her, but ignored it.. It wouldn't be the person she wanted to be there, anyway. A hand tapped her on the shoulder.  
  
"Miss, it's time for breakfast.." the agreeable maid of the house said. Lina nodded, sitting up, and the woman hurried out of her room so she could dress. Lina ran her fingers through her unruly hair.  
  
"I wonder what he's doing right now.." She said out loud. She sighed, and shook her head. Things hadn't been made much better for her, now that Gourry left. She had stayed there for a while, patiently, while Gourry caught up with Silphiel and her uncle, and gave Silphiel glances, and smiled. She knew he wouldn't propose while she was there, but she didn't want to get in the way, so, three days after they arrived, she had left, not knowing where she was going. Lina dressed, then walked out of the bed and breakfast, forgetting about the breakfast part. She had been missing meals a lot lately.  
  
So you're with her  
  
and not with me  
  
I hope she's sweet  
  
and so pretty  
  
I hear she cooks delightfully  
  
a little angel beside you  
  
A little voice in Lina's ear whispered, "Go there, go to Seyruun!" and Lina sighed. Seyruun was where all these problems had started. It had been just six months ago when Amelia persuaded them to have a visit to her old home. It was there that she announced her engagement. Her engagement to Zelgadis. Lina vaguely wondered who had proposed. She bit her lip. The feeling that Lina had had at that very moment was unlike any feeling she had ever before had. It was shock, and loss, and most of all surprise. You see, she hadn't realized, that she loved him. Amelia hadn't either, or she would never have done anything. She had tried not to come between Lina and Gourry, but she hadn't realized that their relationship was more of a brother and sister than anything else. Lina was happy for Gourry when she realized he was going to be with Silphiel. The only thing she had ever been sad about was the fact that she was losing him, and everyone dear to her. Because she was too slow, and didn't have the guts to say anything. Lina plodded along the path, more tired than she had ever been. It was not exhaustion, she was sick. Heartsick. She could see Zel's face when the engagement was announced. He was more nervous, outwardly, than she had ever seen him. Obviously he was afraid. He was scared that they'd laugh at his appearance, or draw back in horror. Lina sympathized with him, after all, she was the one who was usually making fun of him about it. But that was really no matter. Lina was alone, and Zel was with Amelia. That was all that really matters. After that, Lina had just left, with Gourry tagging along. Right after that. She could still see the stares of Amelia and Zel as they left without a word. They looked so. pained. She bit her lip until the salty blood flowed.  
  
So you're with her  
  
and not with me  
  
Oh how lucky one man can be  
  
I hear your house  
  
is small and clean  
  
Oh how lovely with your homecoming queen  
  
Oh how lovely it must be  
  
She had always told herself not to be bitter. She had just thought to herself, 'Don't worry, there'll be other fish in the sea!' But it was only a matter of moments before she realized that she was wrong. There would be no one else for her, because no one else could understand what they four had been through together. No one else worked together as well as they did. Besides, Zel always knew what she was thinking, and.. Well, she had always thought. That he needed her. To cheer him up, to drag him back from the brink. There was more than one time, when no one was paying attention, where she thought maybe, just maybe, this would be when he just left.. Just faded off into obscurity, and never came back. And she had brought him back. And she thought that was what he needed from her. But, obviously, he didn't need it from her. Because he was with Amelia now. She wondered if they were already married. Amelia would probably not want to wait. But, she hoped, in some type of denial, that maybe Zel would still be free, to kiss her. For the first, and last time.  
  
When you see her sweet smile baby  
  
Don't think of me  
  
When she lays in your warm arms  
  
Don't think of me  
  
But all she really wanted was for Zel to be happy, and if that last measure of something she could never have was going to ruin it, then, well, she couldn't. Besides, what would Amelia do? She could never deny Amelia what she had wanted since perhaps the day she had met Zel. Lina blinked, and realized that unknowingly she had taken the route to Seyruun. She shrugged, and kept on walking. For some odd reason, it was more painful being alone with her thoughts, than if she was there, watching them.  
  
So you're with her  
  
and not with me  
  
I know she spreads sweet honey  
  
In fact your best friend  
  
I heard he spent last night with her  
  
Now how do you feel  
  
She reached the front gate of the city, and looked solemnly into it. The guard in his tower looked down at her. He blinked, and growled.  
  
"You there! Identify yourself!" she looked up, fixing him with a piercing glare.  
  
"I'm a friend of the royal family." She said. The guard bristled.  
  
"I said identify yourself, not give me a family history!" he said. Lina blinked up at him.  
  
"My name is Lina Inverse." She said. The guard gulped. He descended the stairs very quickly.  
  
"Uh, Gomen nasai, Inverse-san," he said, "I'll have them open the gates right now." He gestured to the other guard, who cranked open the city gates.  
  
"Arigatou." Lina said listlessly. She walked in, whereupon she was greeted with large posters reading, "Princess' wedding, tonight!" She ignored them. She walked to the castle, where she was let in by the guards. They led her to the throne room. Amelia sat on a throne, blinking at a list before her. Phil was on his throne as well, grinning maniacally at the courtiers, who were asking him questions about his daughter's wedding. Suddenly, Amelia's eyes peered querulously over the parchment.  
  
"Miss Lina?" she said, her eyes widening happily, "Oh, Miss LINA!" she jumped from her throne, and grinned, grabbing Lina in a bear hug.  
  
"Hi, Amelia, how's everything going?" she asked, smiling. Despite the pain it caused Lina, she was happy to be with her friends again.  
  
"Oh, Miss Lina, just great, I have to tell you the news!" Amelia said brightly. Lina smiled wanly. Then Amelia blinked at her, "Oh, Miss Lina, you look horrible, I'll tell you tomorrow.." She motioned for the guards to escort Lina to a private room.  
  
"Oh, Amelia, you don't have to.." Lina protested weakly, but Amelia shook her head.  
  
"What I have to say isn't important enough to keep you here, looking so pale and thin. Have you been eating right, Miss Lina?" Amelia asked, hands on hips. Lina shook her head. Amelia sighed, "Well, there's going to be plenty of food at the wedding tonight, you just get some sleep." Lina jolted, and nodded, walking with the guards to her room, where she fell asleep immediately on the bed.  
  
@========  
  
Lina was awoken, not by a letter, or a dream, or even bandits out to get her. This time she was awoken by bells. They signaled the end of an era for her. Amelia came running into the room, decked out in a beautiful white dress.  
  
"Come on, Miss Lina!" she said. Lina got up, went behind a screen and quickly dressed in the dress Amelia gave her, which, coincidentally, was a little too large at the top, and shot out the door with Amelia. She walked into the area, which, when she had last seen it, was being used to house Phil's "coffin" She sighed, and sat down in a pew. She wasn't paying a whole lot of attention to the ceremonies. She wasn't even paying enough attention to notice that Amelia was walking up the aisle with another guy. She was, however, paying enough attention to notice a man, in a black pressed suit, sitting in the aisle in front of her. Her eyes widened when she saw the wiry purple hair, and the blue skin. She blinked.  
  
"Zel?" she whispered. He turned.  
  
"Lina!" he said. Lina's eyes shot to the back of the room. There, emerging happily from a room, and with nothing on but some lacy garments that looked like they were being held up by nothing more than a prayer.. was Naga!  
  
"Naga?" Lina said. Prince Phil was at her arm. Lina's eyes shot to the front of the room, where Amelia stood, still in the white dress, next to a guy who looked remarkably like. VRUMUGAN??? Lina fainted at that point, not able to take any more.  
  
When you see her sweet smile baby  
  
Don't think of me  
  
When she lays in your warm arms  
  
Don't think of me  
  
And it's too late and it's too bad  
  
Don't think of me  
  
Oh it's too late and it's too bad  
  
Don't think of me  
  
When Lina awoke, she was being looked over by Kira, the little magic doctor.  
  
"Oh, look, she's awake!" the Rini-like girl said. Lina blinked. Seated in the chair next to her was Zel. Amelia stood in the doorway, biting her lip, and Nahga stood, looking bored, next to Vrumugan. Amelia blinked.  
  
"Oh, Miss Lina, it's all my fault, I tried to tell you!" she said, "Who knew the strain would injure you so?" Lina blinked again at Vrumugan and Nahga.  
  
"What?" she said. Amelia blinked.  
  
"I tried to tell you, but I thought you read the signs and knew! This was my sister's wedding! She finally came back, with a fiancee!" Amelia said, "When she found out that we knew you, she told us that she had traveled with you! I thought you found out about the wedding, and came to visit!"  
  
"But how did Naga?" she said, "Your sister???" she said, confused. Zel's eyes flashed,  
  
"I think that you guys should get out of here, Lina's not well, your just making it worse." Zel said to Naga and Vrumugan. They nodded, and filed out. Amelia nodded as well,  
  
"Right, I'll get her something to eat." She said, ducking out of the door. Zel sat back down in the chair. Lina blinked at him, then rolled her head towards the window.  
  
"So." she said, "How has the last six months been?" Lina glanced at him. He looked down, tracing the stone patterns on his ungloved hands.  
  
"I don't know, okay." He said. She didn't say more. Zel blinked at her, "Where's Gourry?" he asked. Lina blinked back tears.  
  
"With Silphiel." She said. He nodded.  
  
"Oh." He said, "I always thought they'd end up together." He said. He mumbled something under his breath. Lina rolled to his side.  
  
"What was that?" she said. He sighed.  
  
"Nothing.." Just then, Amelia came back, with a bowl of soup.  
  
"You'd better eat this, all, Miss Lina.." She said. Lina smiled.  
  
"I will Amelia." She said. Amelia smiled. Lina slowly ate the soup, unnerved by glances that Zel and Amelia were giving her. It was as if they wanted to tell her something. She set the soup aside.  
  
"All right, what is it?" she said impatiently. Amelia sighed in regret.  
  
"Well, Miss Lina, you left too early, and you didn't get to hear it, but.." Amelia sighed, "My father.. refused, our engagement." Lina sat up.  
  
"What?" she said. Amelia nodded.  
  
"He told me that I had to marry another guy, he was from Xoana. The cousin of Martina, to unify our countries. And I met him, and he turned out to be a great guy.. His name is Sampras." Zel turned to her.  
  
"A lot can change in six months." he said. Lina nodded,  
  
"Don't I know it?" she thought. Amelia smiled.  
  
"I sort of realized, that my crush on Mr. Zelgadis, was, just that, a crush. Besides, I always knew that he didn't want to be engaged." Zel's eyes widened a bit at that, "It was just me, being spoiled." She said wistfully. Zel blinked at Lina. Amelia walked out of the room, smiling at both of their shock. Lina finally spoke up.  
  
"You know, she's more like Xelloss than we ever give her credit for.." Lina said. Zel nodded, chin in hand.  
  
"Yeah. Hey, whatever happened to Xelloss, anyway?" he asked. Lina smiled.  
  
"Now, That is a secret." She said. He sweatdropped, "But," she said, "You'll never believe it when I tell you." Zel smiled. Lina smiled back. Amelia came into the room once more.  
  
"Oh, Miss Lina, when you leave, can Mr. Zelgadis leave with you? He's been pelting everyone who comes here with questions about where you are, and where Gourry is, and whatever happened to Xelloss, and Filia.." She smiled, "Besides, you need a new partner now that Mr. Gourry's married to Silphiel.." Lina stared at Zel, who stared at her. Amelia giggled, and popped out.  
  
"She must be some kind of monster!" Lina said. Zel nodded sagely.  
  
"Who knows?" he said. Lina smiled.  
  
"So, Zel." she challenged, "ready to take chances, make mistakes, and get messy?" she asked. Zel smiled back.  
  
"Whenever you are.." he said. Out in the hall, Amelia smiled.  
  
Does it bother you now all the mess I made  
  
Does it bother you now the clothes you told me not to wear  
  
Does it bother you now all the angry games we played  
  
Does it bother you now when I'm not there  
  
When you see her sweet smile baby  
  
Don't think of me  
  
When she lays in your warm arms  
  
Don't think of me  
  
And it's too late and it's too bad  
  
Don't think of me  
  
Oh it's too late and it's too bad  
  
Don't think of me 


End file.
